Abstract: A method and system determines probable strength degradation in a tensile support in an elevator system by monitoring an electrical characteristic of the tensile support as a whole, such as the total electrical resistance of the tensile support, that varies as the remaining strength in the tensile support varies. One example system determines a relationship between strength degradation and various physical factors, such as the rate of degradation for a given load (102), operating environment information for the tensile support (104), and estimated usage data (106), to obtain a map of mean degradation (100). This map of mean degradation (100) is then used to generate one or more maps linking the strength degradation and electrical characteristic.

Abstract: A system and method monitoring the health of a support structure for an elevator based on an electrical characteristic, such as resistance, of the support structure and not the temperature of the structure. The resistance of a virgin support structure under the same temperature conditions as the support structure being monitored is calculated and subtracted from the measured resistance of the monitored support structure. The resistance value of the virgin support structure and the monitored support structure may be translated to a reference temperature to simplify calculations and monitoring of the support structure.

Abstract: An electrical connector device (40) for use with an elevator load bearing member (30) assembly includes at least one electrical connector member (42) for making electrically conductive contact with at least one tension member (32). A clamping member (45) supports the electrical connector member and facilitates manipulating the connector member to pierce through a coating (34) over the tension members (32). The clamping member (45) in one example has first (46) and second (48) portions received on opposite sides of the load bearing member (30). An adjuster (50) facilitates adjusting the relative positions of the clamping member portions to urge the electrical connector member through the coating and into electrically conductive contact with the tension member.

Abstract: A load bearing assembly (20) includes a plurality of tension members (22). A joint in the load bearing assembly (20) has a staggered pattern of discontinuities (30) in the tension members (22). A stress relieving feature is associated with at least outermost tension members (22A, 22L) in the vicinity of the discontinuities. One example includes supplemental tension members (32, 50) as the stress relieving feature. Another example includes selected spacings (32, 40, 42) between ends of at least some of the tension members. One example includes different sized tension members as the stress relieving feature. Another example includes different lateral spacings between selected tension members.

Abstract: An elevator load bearing member assembly includes at least one roughened surface (46) on a polyurethane jacket (44). In one example, mechanical roughening is used to roughen the surface (46) after the jacket has been extruded onto tension members (42). In another example, the temperatures used for molding a jacket (44) are controlled to induce melt fracture and roughen the surface (46) during the forming process. Other examples include chemically roughening the jacket surface and using localized heating to roughen the surface. The roughened jacket surface improves friction characteristics of a load bearing member assembly.

Abstract: A connector device (40) for making electrically conductive connections with at least one tension member (32) in an elevator load bearing member (30) includes a spacer member (42) that establishes physical spacing between portions (38) of the load bearing member (30). In one example, each portion (38) includes one tension member (32). A holding member (50) secures the portions (38) in a selected position relative to the connector device. At least one electrically conductive connector member (70) makes electrically conductive contact with at least one of the tension members (32) to facilitate a selected electricity-based monitoring technique for accessing the condition of the load bearing member.

Abstract: Fixtures (27) at a doorway of a landing are formed integrally with a frame (17). Power is provided by an inductive coupler (32) having a core (70) and primary (75). The core is thin ferrite and extend significantly beyond the coils in the plane the coils are wound, to provide en extremely low resistance path for the efficient transfer of AC power.

Abstract: An elevator load bearing assembly (30) includes a jacket (34) having different portions comprising different polymer compositions. In a disclosed example, a plurality of tension members (32) are at least partially surrounded by a first portion (36) comprising a first polymer composition. A second portion (38) establishes at least one exterior surface (40) of the jacket (34) and comprises a second polymer composition. In one example, a surface-modifying agent is added to alter the composition of at least a portion of the jacket (34). In another example, co-extrusion techniques using different polymer compositions establish different portions of the jacket (34).

Abstract: A load bearing member (22) useful in an elevator system (10) includes at least one elongated tension member (36), a conversion coating (46) on the elongated tension member (36), and a polymer jacket (34) at least partially surrounding the coated elongated tension member (36). In one example, the conversion coating (46) includes at least one of an oxide, a phosphate, or a chromate.

Abstract: An elevator system has on each floor hall call buttons that are inter-connected with piconet modules (15), such as modules conforming to BLUETOOTH™ specifications; similar piconet modules (16) may be associated with hall fixtures such as lanterns and gongs; similar piconet modules (50) may be associated with hoistway doors, on each floor, so as to form a wireless communication system with a similar piconet module (19) at the controller (18); and a piconet module (40) may be associated with the car operating panel. A module (43) may be interconnected with the car door lock switch; a module (44) may be interconnected with a safety switch; modules (48) and (49) may be interconnected with lower and upper limit switches; and a module (49) may be interconnected with an overspeed detector, so as to form a safety chain.

Abstract: An elevator load bearing member (30) monitoring device includes a controller (42) that applies a selected electrical signal to tension members (32) of the load bearing member (30). In one example, connectors (40) are associated with ends of the load bearing member (30) to establish an electrical interface between the controller (42) and the tension members (32). The connectors (40) facilitate establishing electrical circuit loops along the tension members (32) such that only non-adjacent tension members are energized at a selected time. A variety of circuit configurations are disclosed. The applied electrical signal in one example has a potential that is negative compared to a ground potential of a hoistway in which the elevator belt is used. In another example, the electrical signal comprises a plurality of pulses and has a duty cycle that is on the order of about one percent.

Abstract: A connector device (40) for making electrically conductive connections with at least one tension member (32) in an elevator load bearing member (30) includes a spacer member (42) that establishes physical spacing between portions (38) of the load bearing member (30). In one example, each portion (38) includes one tension member (32). A holding member (50) secures the portions (38) in a selected position relative to the connector device. At least one electrically conductive connector member (70) makes electrically conductive contact with at least one of the tension members (32) to facilitate a selected electricity-based monitoring technique for accessing the condition of the load bearing member.

Abstract: A device (30) for making electrically conductive contact with at least one tension member in an elevator belt (22) also provides a restraining feature to support loads on the belt. A connector portion (32) is secured to the belt. In one example, the connector portion (32) includes clamping members (40, 42) that are received on opposite sides of the belt. One of the clamping members supports a plurality of electrically conductive connector members (52) that establish electrical contact with selected tension members (24) within the belt (22). A plurality of load transferring members (66) are supported by the other clamping member in one example. A restraining portion (34) is adapted to be secured in a fixed position relative to a selected structure (36) within the elevator system.

Abstract: An elevator load bearing member (22) monitoring device (20) has a controller (30) that applies a first signal (40) and a second signal (50) to at least one tension member (24) in the belt. The first signal (40) in one example has a plurality of (42) of a selected amplitude and duration. The second signal (50) includes a series of pulses (52) having a second, shorter duration and lower amplitude. The first signal is useful for providing information regarding a wear condition of the load bearing member. The controller utilizes a response to the second signal to determine a failure condition such as a broken load bearing member.

Abstract: An elevator load bearing member assembly includes at least one traction enhancing surface (46) on a jacket (44). In one example, a mechanical removal process is used to strip away at least some of an amide-rich layer from the surface (46) after the jacket has been extruded onto tension members (42). In another example, a chemical removal process is used. Another disclosed example includes disrupting the surface.

Abstract: An elevator sheave (20) includes a belt guiding surface (26) having a surface profile along at least a portion of the belt guiding surface. The surface profile preferably is defined by an nth order polynomial equation where n is a number greater than 2. In one example, the reference point (40) is a central point along the width of the belt guiding surface (26). In one example, a central portion (42) of the surface profile preferably is aligned to be generally parallel with the central axis (34) of the sheave body. Some examples have curvilinear side portions (44, 46) between the central portion (42) and the edges (28, 30) of the sheave. Other examples also include second side portions (48, 50) that have linear profiles.

Abstract: An elevator safety chain includes a plurality of passive radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) (15-18, 22, 34-36 and 63), which are associated, respectively, with hoistway door locks, upper hoistway limits, lower hoistway limits, overspeed detection, car door lock, emergency stop switch, and inspection switch. RFlDs may be associated with car the call buttons (34) and/or hall call buttons (14, 19). The RFIDs may have a switch (43, 44) in the frequency-determining circuitry (40, 41) which defeats the RFID's ability to respond, or a switch (48) which alters the responding frequency. The RFIDs may sense safe or unsafe conditions, or call requests, by either the presence of absence, or vice versa, of adjacent magnetic reluctance (51, 62, 71).

Abstract: An elevator load bearing member (22) monitoring device (20) has a controller (30) that applies a first signal (40) and a second signal (50) to at least one tension member (24) in the belt. The first signal (40) in one example has a plurality of pulses (42) of a selected amplitude and duration. The second signal (50) includes a series of pulses (52) having a second, shorter duration and lower amplitude. The first signal is useful for providing information regarding a wear condition of the load bearing member. The controller utilizes a response to the second signal to determine a failure condition such as a broken load bearing member.

Abstract: An electrical connector device (40) for use with an elevator load bearing member (30) assembly includes at least one electrical connector member (42) for making electrically conductive contact with at least one tension member (32). A clamping member (45) supports the electrical connector member and facilitates manipulating the connector member to pierce through a coating (34) over the tension members (32). The clamping member (45) in one example has first (46) and second (48) portions received on opposite sides of the load bearing member (30). An adjuster (50) facilitates adjusting the relative positions of the clamping member portions to urge the electrical connector member through the coating and into electrically conductive contact with the tension member.

Abstract: A device (30) for making electrically conductive contact with at least one tension member in an elevator belt (22) also provides a restraining feature to support loads on the belt. A connector portion (32) is secured to the belt. In one example, the connector portion (32) includes clamping members (40, 42) that are received on opposite sides of the belt. One of the clamping members supports a plurality of electrically conductive connector members (52) that establish electrical contact with selected tension members (24) within the belt (22). A plurality of load transferring members (66) are supported by the other clamping member in one example. A restraining portion (34) is adapted to be secured in a fixed position relative to a selected structure (36) within the elevator system.